Heroes Rise to Earn P-W's Legendary Win
March 23, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
GRAND RAPIDS – The seconds couldn’t tick off the clock fast enough Saturday for a Pewamo-Westphalia girls basketball team on the verge of its first championship for the third season in a row.
Side by side on the bench, each with four fouls, sat juniors Ellie Droste and Hannah Spitzley – who together scored more than half of the Pirates’ points this winter.
On the floor, senior Rachel Huhn faced the start of the fourth quarter charged with holding things together as the only other player with significant experience from P-W’s last two tournament runs.
“Seeing those two in foul trouble, I knew especially being a senior leader, I knew my focus was just to keep everyone positive, keep everyone together,” Huhn said. “Just keep us in one unit, and stay calm.”
She also knew she was now the team’s top offensive option – but surely she didn’t anticipate knocking down the most important shot in her program’s history.
Huhn’s fourth-quarter 3-pointer with 5:31 to play was P-W’s only field only over the final 11 minutes and 13 seconds Saturday, and only points during a 9 minute, 28-second stretch that saw the Pirates lead over Flint Hamady go from 11 to one with 1:45 to play. It also ended the reason the Pirates never lost the lead as they clinched the Division 3 championship with a 40-33 victory at Van Noord Arena.
Huhn also connected on all four of her free-throw attempts over the final 32 seconds as P-W completed a run that began with a trip to the Class C Final two years ago, followed by an appearance in the Semifinals last season.
“It just feels amazing to go out this way, because everyone on this team – all 16 girls – have worked so hard for this,” Huhn said, “In the offseason we’ve done so much improving our own skills, and I just feel like we work so well together. To come close sophomore and junior year and put the cherry on top my senior year, it’s just a great feeling.”
This P-W team was the 11th to reach the season’s final week, and followed Class C runners-up also in 1983 and 1984. The Pirates finished 27-1, their only defeat to Division 2 power Detroit Edison, which had beaten P-W in the last two playoff trips.
The Pirates led all but 56 seconds Saturday. But after pushing the lead to double digits during both the second and third quarters, it took just about everything the Pirates could offer to withstand a Hamady team with a significant size advantage and a defensive press that played a big part in P-W’s 22 turnovers – with half coming during the Hawks’ 13-3 second-half run to draw within one.
“We knew they had some speed, but we didn’t quite know how quick they were,” Hamady coach Keith Smith said. “Now that I look back at it, I probably should have brought the pressure a little earlier. But we did respect (Droste’s) play … but I think we got her a little rattled. And we were also trying to get her out of there when she got four fouls.”
As significant as navigating the pressure, the Pirates outrebounded Hamady 32-19 despite having only one player 6-foot and one more taller than 5-8. They did so with that 6-footer, Spitzley, playing 19 seconds over the last 8:49 before fouling out and six players grabbing between 4-7 rebounds apiece.
P-W had practiced playing with Spitzley or Droste fouled out – but Pirates coach Steve Eklund never anticipated that scenario becoming real-life in this game.
His players couldn’t have responded better.
Huhn’s 3-pointer was followed by Spitzley’s re-entry and then departure, and then Droste came back into the game at 3:43 to play. The teams took turns missing shots before junior guard Xeryia Tartt’s free throw pulled Hamady to within 32-31 with 1:45 to play.
The Hawks (21-6) grabbed the rebound off Tartt’s miss on the second free-throw attempt, but Droste stole the ball and was fouled trying to finish a break. She made a free throw to push the lead to two, and the Pirates followed with another stop when junior guard Emily Nurenberg ended up with the ball after Hamady lost its dribble attempting to tie the score. Droste ended up with possession, was fouled, and this time made both free throws to make the lead 35-31 with 42.5 seconds to play. The Pirates then limited the Hawks to one missed shot on three straight possessions, with Huhn twice grabbing rebounds during that shutdown stretch. They also made 8 of 10 free throws over the final 1:14.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we out-pointed them. We took care of the basketball at times, we made our free throws, and defensively we got stops,” Eklund said. “With 40 seconds left we were happy. We had the lead, we were at the free throw line, and I said, ‘Girls, I think we need three or four more stops.’ And I think we got three stops in the last 40 seconds.
“We drill every day, get a stop and score. Today was get a stop and free throws.”
Droste finished with 18 points, including 12 on free throws. Huhn had 10 points and six rebounds, and Spitzley had eight points. Junior guard Kiera Thelen scored two points but led the rebounding effort with seven.
“I just knew my teammates, the entire time, they had my back,” Droste said. “Me and Hannah both got into foul trouble, which really, it’s hard because you’re so used to being out there in tight situations. But we have such confidence in our teammates – we trust them so much that we know no matter what we can come out with the win.”
Tartt had 15 points and five of her team’s 14 steals to lead Hamady, which was playing in its first Final since finishing Class C runner-up in 2015.
PHOTOS: (Top) Pewamo-Westphalia players, including senior Rachel Huhn (far right), celebrate the team’s first MHSAA Finals title Saturday at Van Noord Arena. (Middle) The Pirates’ Ellie Droste tries to keep possession while a pair of Hamady players apply the pressure.
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 2
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 16, 2024
The girls basketball season is barely two weeks old, and the showcase portion that always highlights the first month not even half over – but Division 2 especially is giving us a lot to follow already this winter.
Tecumseh’s double-overtime win over reigning champion Detroit Edison this weekend, combined with Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard’s scorching start, are enough to get the conversation going. Add in a big win from Chelsea, and notable starts from several others, and there’s plenty to talk about.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Tecumseh 70, Detroit Edison 65 (2 OT) This Best of Michigan matchup at Belleville saw Tecumseh (3-0), a Division 2 quarterfinalist last season, outlast the reigning champion Pioneers (2-1).
2. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 55, Rockford 43 The Fighting Irish (4-0) finished up a three-win week with this one over the returning Division 1 semifinalist Rams (2-1), also at Best of Michigan.
3. Chelsea 61, Grand Blanc 58 Chelsea (4-0) is off to another great starter, with this win over the reigning Division 1 runner-up Bobcats (2-2) adding an exclamation mark.
4. Belleville 84, West Bloomfield 49 The Tigers (3-0) made a big early statement against the reigning Division 1 champion Lakers (0-3), which admittedly has had a tough start as they replace four starters from last season.
5. Grandville 48, Midland Dow 42 The Bulldogs (5-0) also are establishing themselves early, with this win over the Chargers (3-2) to open the Petoskey Invitational before Grandville defeated Bay City Western as well the following day.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Hartland (4-0) After finishing a solid 15-9 last season, Hartland might be ready to make a move after a pair of dominating wins last week over Rochester Adams and Linden coming off a 40-26 victory over Holt and 38-36 win over Clarkston during the first week this winter – Holt made the Division 1 Quarterfinals last year and Clarkston was a Regional finalist. Hartland tied for fourth in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West last season and will start that schedule Thursday at Salem.
Saline (4-0) The Hornets have dealt the lone losses this season to three of the four teams on their early schedule – Birmingham Seaholm, Livonia Stevenson and Monroe. Saline won all of those games by 14 points or more, with its closest victory by six over South Lyon East. The Hornets are prepping for a tough road ahead, as they finished second in the Southeastern Conference Red last winter to a Temperance Bedford team that reached the Division 1 Quarterfinals and lost in their District to a Belleville team that played in the Semifinals at Breslin Center.
DIVISION 2
Chelsea (4-0) As noted above, Friday’s win over Grand Blanc stands out most during this fast start for the Bulldogs – but there’s more to tell. Chelsea navigated a first week that included a 54-51 win over Grass Lake and a 50-43 victory over Sault Ste. Marie at Aquinas College – those opponents won 19 and 14 games, respectively last season – and the Bulldogs defeated another returning 19-game winner in Trenton by 32 last week. The win over the Sault the Blue Devils’ only loss so far.
Spring Lake (3-0) The Lakers jumped from 11-11 two seasons ago to 18-7 last winter, and they are prepped for another move coming off a 70-38 win over Fruitport after much closer victories over Fremont (41-37) and Big Rapids (34-32) to start this campaign – Fremont won 20 games and Big Rapids 13 last season. Nemesis Grand Rapids West Catholic – which defeated Spring Lake twice in league play last season and then in a Regional Final – is in a different league this winter, but the Lakers will get another chance to avenge a 2023-24 loss Friday at Grand Haven.
DIVISION 3
Calumet (3-0) The Copper Kings became the second team this season to deal reigning Division 4 champion Ishpeming a loss, downing the Hematites 52-32 on Thursday after losing to them by 26 a year ago. Calumet is hoping for that kind of turnaround overall this winter coming off an 11-12 finish, and wins over West Iron County and Hancock also are nice signs of what may be to come – Calumet swept West Iron during the 2023-24 regular season but lost to the Wykons by 10 in their District opener, and Calumet also split with Hancock last winter but won their matchup last week by 20.
Leslie (3-0) The Blackhawks are coming off a 19-7 run and tie for second place in what was their first season playing in a powerful Cascades Conference East last winter. Leslie this season already has a 51-43 win over Brooklyn Columbia Central, avenging one of those losses from a year ago, to go with double-digit victories over Laingsburg and East Jackson. Leslie will have nearly a half-season of prep before seeing the other Cascades East contenders, taking on Grass Lake for the first time Jan. 16 and Michigan Center for the first time Jan. 29.
DIVISION 4
Ewen-Trout Creek (4-0) Ewen-Trout Creek has won two straight District titles and reached the Regional Final last winter before falling to Ishpeming, ending that run at 20-6. The Panthers have plowed through the first two weeks with all of their wins by at least 19 points, including 58-35 over Ironwood after splitting with the Red Devils last season. E-TC will get a nice test moving into the new year Dec. 27, when it faces host Negaunee at the Irontown Holiday Bash.
Morenci (4-0) The Bulldogs also are coming off a successful 21-4 run last season as they sprinted through the Tri-County Conference and reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals. They opened this season with big wins over Division 2 Adrian and Division 3 Onsted before settling in last week with a 43-41 win over Concord and 62-46 victory over Reading. Concord also was a 20-game winner last season.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Saginaw Heritage (5-0) at Freeland (3-0) – These two annually have aspirations not only in league play but statewide in Divisions 1 and 2, respectively, and Heritage won last year’s matchup 44-42.
Friday – Rockford (2-1) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4-0) at Cornerstone University – This is among premier matchups of the Cornerstone Holiday Classic, with both also playing next Monday as well.
Saturday – Detroit Edison (2-1) at Detroit Renaissance (4-0) – This rematch highlights the Lady Phoenix Shootout, as Edison won last season’s meeting 46-38.
Saturday – Belleville (3-0) vs. Parma Western (3-0) at Detroit Renaissance – This undefeated pair will meet up as part of the Lady Phoenix Shootout as well.
Jan. 4 – Goodrich (3-1) at Grand Blanc (2-2) – As noted above, Grand Blanc is the reigning Division 1 runner-up, and Goodrich finished 26-1 a year ago with coach Jason Gray earning his 500th win in his team’s season opener this month.
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PHOTOS (Top) Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary's Charli Alcorn (12) prepares to pass during her team's 56-37 win over Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central on Friday. (Middle) Perry's Abigail Cochrane (21) and Bath's Jordyn Lira (23) chase after a loose ball during the Bees' 54-24 win Thursday. (MLS/Nouvel photo by Kolleth Photo. Bath/Perry photo by Click by Christine McCallister.)